Hacking - Techniques, Tools and Prevention

As the popularity of Personal computers came to its peak during 'dot com' familiarity so too did the rise of hacking. Famous hackers such as Kevin Mitnick made news in 1990s when Credit Card stealing and fake wire transfers become popular.

Hacking is known as a technique for compromising digital devices and networks through unauthorised access for data in a computer system. This name appeared in 1970 which became popular in next decade. Movies namely War Games came up in which main characters set up regarding hacking of computer systems which later became potential national security risk. Later, a group of teenagers cracked the computer systems of major organisations which became 'hacker' in the negative sense as it now known. Even various legislations passed by the Govt. around computer crimes did not stop high profile attacks on organisations and Govt. systems rather gave birth to various types of hacking techniques and hackers. As computer systems and technology rapidly progressed, hacking became more sophisticated and Cyber attackers refined their techniques to steal data, fraud and other illegal activities. 

Hackers create programs to search for unprotected pathways in network systems . May gain backdoor entrance with a trojan horse to steal data without the victim knowledge. They are the people skilled in the practice of tracing loopholes in the networks and software to access in unauthorised mannner to these systems.  

Today, types of hacking are categorised in five main types: 

1. Corporate espionage

2. Financial gain through theft of credit card details 

3. To establish their identity and respect for their talents.

4.  Aim to steal business information, national intelligence. 

5. Politcally motivated hackers to get more public attention.

Among the most common techniques is the exploitation of weak or stolen data often aided by tools that crack passwords. Some of the most common methods are -

1. Hacking Passwords - By using trial and error method, simple algorithms creation to generate                  combinations of numbers, symbols, letters to identify passwords combinations. Running a program        consisting of common words to see which one works.

2. Advantage of Open wireless networks - Since everyons does not secure their router, look around for      unsecured wireless connection. Once connected, they need to pass security to gain access to the               network.

Social engineering by using fake identity, programs to track keystrokes, code creation for tracking emails, creating programs that search for unprotected pathways into network to steal data, sending spam messages are some of the other methods. 

In order to prevent hacking, one need to recognize the game played by hackers to take action, which one should not. Following are the methods one should deploy in order to prevent hacking - 

1. Create complex Passwords both on websites and Apps. with a combination of numbers, alphabets,           both in upper cast and lower cast letters. Don't give password to anyone. Keep on changing                     passwords at least twice in a year. 

2.  Use browser connections to block malicious downloads. 

3.   Install a strong anti-malware program. Install an advanced type of firewall.  

4.   Sanitize PC manually.

5.   Encrypt files while storing. 

6.   Use two factor authentication. 

7.   Avoid using correct answers to security questions. 

8.   Logout from the account when done with it. Simply closing the browser is not enough. 

9.   Don't share information on HTTP site.

10.  Learn to recognize fake and legitimate software..

11.  Recognize phishing emails by checking sender's email address.

12.  Viigilant while downloading anything from internet. 

13.  Beware of Phishing mails.

Don't use information that can be easily found on when creating a username or password. We use login credentials to personal information because it is easy to remember. Instead choose a scheme of characters which is only familiar to you and no one else. The key is to jumble the characters not associated to name,birthday,important dates and favourite things. It's a giveaway to hackers.

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